5 Tips to Better Organize Your I.T. Department This Summer

Can you feel it in the air? Spring is just around the corner and while we’re hanging on to every last bit of ski season, we’re also looking forward to the fresh start that comes with a new season.

Many folks take the opportunity when the weather turns warmer to do a spring cleaning at home – throw open those windows, dust off the furniture, and declutter the closets. While you’re at it, take that energy and give your business an I.T. spring clean-up, too!

Here are some of our top tips to declutter your tech set-up and systems this spring and set yourself up for a smooth summer (and rest of the year beyond that).

Spring Cleaning Tip 1: Delete Old User Accounts

When employees leave an organization, there’s typically a set off-boarding process they go through with HR: an interview process, hand-over work to a new hire or colleague, and make sure all loose ends are tied up. But what’s often overlooked is their User Account! Their email address, their log-in access via VPN, etc. – not only do these clutter up your server, but they are a security risk as well!

We’ve actually seen accounts from previous employees still active – with admin rights! We never assume the worst when an employee leaves, but forgetting to remove access rights is a major security risk.

Look through your system or better yet ask us to, and ensure the only active user accounts are for current staff, and that every user has the appropriate permissions.

Spring Cleaning Tip 2: Recycle Old Computers

Whether they’re piled in the corner of someone’s office or stacked in the server room, old machines do nothing but collect dust, take up space, and ultimately get in the way if anyone ever needs to access the area.

We have partnered with the Electronic Recycling Association, a nationwide business, to help you offload your old computers. Contact them directly or ask us about our recycling program, and with our IT Management, we can help arrange to have your office space cleared of clutter as soon as possible – you won’t even have to lift a finger.

Spring Cleaning Tip 3: Organize Your Server Room

Once those old computers have been cleared out, give the rest of your server room a glance. Are there tangled wires everywhere? Multiple different colors that seem to have no rhyme or reason? Servers on the floor, shelves, or stacked on top of each other? A thick coat of dust on everything?

We’ve seen it all when it comes to server rooms, but it’s important to keep them as cleaned and organized as possible. This will help make things a lot easier should a technician providing technical support ever need to access the area to make repairs or if they have to guide one of your staff to assist with troubleshooting.

Spring Cleaning Tip 4: Organize Your File System

Going digital can be both a blessing and a course. While it’s great to get all that paperwork off the floor or out of filing cabinets, it’s so much easier to let old documents gather digital dust, file things in the wrong folders, or have duplicates all over the place.

Set aside some time to do a thorough review of your file systems. Delete any duplicates, ensure that the folder structure and file paths make sense, and ensure the right permissions are given to the right people.

It’s also a good idea to implement a naming convention system if you don’t already have one in place.

Spring Cleaning Tip 5: Have Your Staff Clean Up Their Mailboxes

How old is the oldest email you have in your inbox? I bet it’s old! And the same goes for all of your employees, too. The most likely offenders are your Sent and Deleted Items as well as your Inbox!

Delete anything that’s more than 6 months old (trust us, you won’t need it) and set up a filing system to easily store and find emails for current projects that you must keep.

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your home. Organize your business, clear the clutter, and increase your security with our five tips and get yourself ready for summer. Questions? Email us today and let’s chat about how we can help in implementing effective IT Management services in your Business.